The present invention relates to the containers for cigarettes of the type that are formed from a blank that is cut from sheet material and then folded to form an enclosure where a hinged lid is provided at one end of the box-like container.
Such lidded containers as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,963,214 have long been known and have enjoyed widespread use. In general they are formed from a blank cut from sheet material which is then folded by automatic handling machinery to a point where the container is partially formed. Then, the cigarette product which has previously been wrapped in flexible sheet material is inserted into the partially formed container and the container forming steps are then carried out to completely enclose the product. Such containers have, in general, included a body portion having a front wall, bottom wall, rear wall and side walls, while the lid portion has likewise comprised a plurality of walls which are generally described as front, rear and top as well as side walls, all of which are of substantially less dimensions than the walls of the body of the container. In prior structures, a number of flaps have been retained when the blank is formed and which protrude from portions of the walls of the lid and body to assist in imparting rigidity to the resulting container when it is completely formed. In some cases, a double-walled structure is produced after the various folding steps have been carried out so that when the walls are glued together, a fairly rigid structure is achieved.
In some arrangements, when such a package or container is opened, a separation between the front or forward wall of the body and the front wall of the lid is necessary to gain access to the product. In other arrangements, the blanks that have been formed have not been suitable for automatic packaging machines, particularly where cigarettes are the product because of the requirement that the package be completely formed after the product is received in the partially formed container.
One type of so-called hinge-lid box such as disclosed in German Publication No. 2,426,131, has gained wide commercial acceptance, it is believed, because the front wall of the body of the box is not connected in any way to the front wall of the lid by a folding edge. Instead, containers of this type are formed with the various walls of the body and lid in sequence so that the corresponding flaps of the walls all lie inside or outside of the container and extend the full width of the container, thus resulting in a very rigid box. However, such blanks are expensive because of the large consumption of high-grade material for the blanks and it is an object of the present invention to provide a container where the blank will consist of at least 10 percent less sheet material, thereby resulting in a considerable saving in view of the rising price of paper stock. Yet, the resulting container, according to the present invention, will have substantial rigidity as required for the products.
In a preferred embodiment, a uniform blank for forming the hinge-lid box of the present invention is produced in the customary manner by punching and folding devices but where some of the side flaps which extend from portions of the walls of the hinge lid and body are considerably reduced in width but are so located as to contribute to the overall rigidity of the structure if not actually improving the integrity of the resulting container. In one embodiment, only the front wall of the body and the front wall of the lid have side flaps which extend the entire width of the container to define the side walls thereof and the remaining flaps, all of which are located on the interior of the container when fully formed, are substantially reduced in size thereby resulting in the conservation mentioned above.
Other patents relating to the field of the present invention are U.S. Pat. No. 2,369,385 and British Pat. No. 1,217,558 of Dec. 31, 1970.
As will be apparent from a consideration of the detailed description that follows, the hinge lid package of the present invention can be constructed with substantially less material than was heretofore possible and yet will submit to handling by the conventional packaging machinery while exhibiting the necessary rigidity for packages of this type.
These and other advantages will become apparent as consideration is given to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which: